


Favorite Mistake

by iamavacado



Category: Sanders Sides, Thomas Sanders
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Theatre, Anxiety | Virgil Sanders - Freeform, Creativity | Roman "Princey" Sanders - Freeform, Fluff, Gen, Logic | Logan Sanders - Freeform, Morality | Patton Sanders - Freeform, Prinxiety - Freeform, Sanders Sides (Video Blogging RPF), Slow realization, favorite trope, will update tags as needed
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-03-12
Updated: 2018-03-14
Packaged: 2019-03-30 04:24:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,240
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13942551
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/iamavacado/pseuds/iamavacado
Summary: Virgil mistakenly says that he could do better than the other actors in the school play in his sleep. Roman decides to take him up on that.





	1. The Mistake

**Author's Note:**

> This'll develop into prinxiety probably. But I had this idea for a while and I wanted to go through with it so here it is!!!!!!!

It was almost like an alarm went off in Virgil's head when he saw the poster there, taped smugly to the wall with a pen hanging from a chain next to it. Its bright colors playfully advertising the next school play stabbed him in the eyes, and he tried to backtrack and turn the corner he had just rounded, doing his best to take Roman by the backpack strap and drag him with him. Perhaps he hadn't seen. Maybe, just maybe, that was the only poster in the school, and if they snuck around the back way, that poster would remain blank.

But he forgot to make a wish on his last birthday, so he had no such luck.

"VIRGIL! THE _POSTER!"_ Roman screamed right in Virgil's ear. Virgil felt his grip being disentangled from Roman's backpack, and then he heard rapid footsteps which were definitely him speeding up to the poster. Virgil internalized a sigh, and turned around to see Roman scribbling his name at the top of the list, securing himself a spot for auditions.

"Why didn't you tell me that this was here?" he asked. Virgil just raised an eyebrow at him, as if to say, _do you really need to ask that question?_ It took a second before realization washed over Roman's face. "It was almost as if you didn't want me to know that there was a play going on."

"No, why would I ever do something so evil?" asked Virgil, voice dripping with sarcasm. 

Roman was once again at Virgil's side. "You know I have Mr. Lomano's personal phone number, right? He texts me when there's a new production going on." Roman pulls out his phone and holds it in front of Virgil's face. In his notifications is a text from who he assumes to be Mr. Lomano but is named Lo-the-man-o: **New play! Sign up to play the prince!**

"That's favoritism," Virgil said as he started off for the exit.

Roman jogged a few steps to catch up. "Well what do you expect?" He glanced over his shoulders for a second, then leaned into Virgil's ear to say, "The talent here isn't exactly Broadway worthy, if you get what I mean." Roman cleared his throat. "And there's only so few who can sign up, let alone those who actually care about the show. Theatre is very serious business."

Virgil was amusedly doubtful. "Theatre is serious business? You sure about that? I've only done lights for two shows, and in that short time the most serious I've ever seen you be during practice is when you cried over a wooden sword getting broken."

A strange noise between a gasp and a sound of dissent came out of Roman's mouth. Over the top hand gestures accompanied his rant. "Excuse me, Sir Swing a Lot was my _comrade_ who had been on my side through many a battle, and his demise will stay with me for the rest of my born days! The fact that you mock his death should be ground for the termination of our friendship alone!"

Virgil stopped in the middle of the hallway, lips drawn up in an opened mouthed smirk. He stared at Roman. "So it's all business."

"Yes!"

"Okay Walt Disney," he said, continuing to walk again. "Besides, I've seen all the shows here, and they kinda suck anyway." Roman started to make a rebuttal, but Virgil cut him off. "The only good thing about them is you, and I only watch them because you're in them, and you're my friend. The rest of them are kind of bad."

"Bad? Those are my friends too."

"I know what I said."

Roman masked what he was going to say with an offended look on his face. Though, Virgil had a point. Roman had been acting his whole life, while his friends..well...they saw it as more of a hobby than anything else. So, no, they weren't particularly _good._

Virgil stopped at his locker and started to shove the day's worth of textbooks and folders into it. "The only one with any talent is you, really. I could do better than the rest of them in my sleep."

Roman's eyes widened. "What did you just say?"

"I said, I could do better in my sleep."

"You sure about that?" Roman was smiling now, wider than he had been before when he'd seen the poster.

Virgil had slung his own backpack over his shoulders when he caught the look on Roman's face. And when he did, he felt his heart drop into his stomach and he's sure he must've gone at least three shades paler. He pointed a dad-like finger at Roman. "No. There is no way--"

Roman slammed Virgil's locker shut, and started to speed walk back the way he'd come. "You said you could do better in your sleep?!"

Virgil tried to keep up with him, but damn the kid was fast, and his backpack was heavy. "I didn't *mean* that meant that I wanted to--"

"I can make your dream a reality!"

"Roman, no, I don't want to--"

"You're going to have to prove that you can do better!"

Virgil tried to yell after him, but the swarm of kids all trying to fit through the same front door separated them. He pushed through as best as he could without elbowing people, muttering sorrys and excuse mes as he went. Once he burst through, he saw Roman at the play poster once again, facing Virgil, arms crossed and cheeky grin on his face.

Virgil finally caught up to him, panting. "I'm glad I caught you...before you...signed me up." He gulped in a bit of air, and regained himself. "I don't want to do the play. I was just saying."

Roman patted Virgil's cheek. "I know what you were saying, but my darling Fallen Out Boy, words have consequences. Deal with them." He started to walk away, then stopped to say, "You did not catch me quite in time."

Virgil turned and looked at the poster, and right under Roman's, pressed so deeply into the paper it might rip, was his name.


	2. Flawed Logic, but Don't Tell Him That

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Epiphany!!!

This was bad. Oh, oh this was very very bad.

Virgil paced his room back and forth from wall to wall, chewing what was left of his finger nails, spitting out the nail polish that flaked off in the process. His hair kept falling in front of his face and he stopped bothering to push it away, because his delusions were telling him that if he retreated far enough into his bangs, maybe Roman wouldn't be able to find him for auditions next week. Maybe he could hide under his pile of clothes in the corner of his room. Or maybe he could dive in his tub like there was an earthquake and just...camp out for a week.

"A week long earth quake?" Virgil mumbled to himself. "Wait, what the hell am I even talking about?" He sighed. "Just don't go. You don't have to have a reason."

In his pocket, Virgil's phone vibrated. He pulled it out and saw another text from Roman, who had sent him yet another link to a website full of dramatic and edgy monologues to audition with next week. He angrily swiped the notification away.

The two sides of his brain were fighting against each other. One part was his anxiety: listing all the cons to putting oneself out there for public scrutiny. And the other was his loyalty: his bond with Roman and insistence on keeping one's word. They couldn't compromise. It had been over an hour.

"I don't have to do this. It'll be embarrassing," he would say out loud. "I don't know the first thing about acting."

His brain spat back, _So, what, you're going to go back on your word? You made a challenge, accidental or not. Own up to it._

"I would totally freak out and make a fool of myself."

_Roman really wants you to do it. He always has. Do it for your friend._

"I'd probably cry if I didn't get a part too, and the last thing I need is to cry in front of everyone."

_So what? Nothing sought for, nothing gained._

Virgil stopped in the middle of his room, and he pressed his palms to his eyes as he let out an exasperated groan. This was way more complicated than it had to be.

Just then, his phone buzzed, and he was tempted to ignore it, but he pulled it out just to see. Maybe Roman had changed his mind and relieved Virgil of his fate. No dice. It wasn't even Roman, actually. It was Logan. A text from him that said: **Please tell me what I heard is false.**

Virgil texted back, knowing exactly what he was talking about: **I wish it weren't true, trust me.**

After a second, his phone rang, and Virgil picked it up.

Logan's voice was doubtful through the phone. "You're actually auditioning for the show? Roman told me all about it earlier."

Virgil sighed through his teeth. "Yes. No. I don't know. Maybe. I don't want to."

"Then don't do it," said Logan matter of factly.

"You think I haven't already thought of doing that? It would break Roman's heart." And make me a laughing stock because he'd tell the whole school I wussed out. __

"Then do it."

"I don't want to." 

"Then don't do it." 

"But I don't want to get made fun of for not doing it." 

"Then do it." 

"But it'd be so weird to be up on stage like that." 

"Then don't do it." 

Virgil cursed into the empty air. "You're not being very helpful here, Logan!" 

"I'm sorry. I was not aware that this was the Advice Corner." 

"You don't have to be sarcas--" 

"I hold the Advice Corner on Sundays." 

Virgil blinked. 

"Besides," Logan continued, "I heard it was some kind of...bet? Aren't you keen on those sorts of things?" 

Virgil walked over and plopped on his bed, which disrupted a pile of schoolwork just a little too much. It slid off the bed, and Virgil just watched it fall, then looked at it all spread around his feet. 

That about summed it up. 

"I mean, it wasn't really a bet. I just let soemthing slip that Roman took as a challenge. And now..." 

Logan finished for him. "And now...your mouth wrote a check that your proverbial behind can't cash." 

"That's right." 

Logan offered, "Well, perhaps he believes that you can do it. Step out of your comfort zone, I mean. Maybe he's trying to get you to come out of your shell." 

"So you think he just means well?" 

"That's what I'm thinking." 

Virgil fell back on his bed, so only his feet were hanging over. His last sentence was a call for help, small and worried. "So what do I do?" 

Logan went silent, and Virgil waited for an answer. Something, anything that would put his racing thoughts at ease. He'd been friends with Roman for as long as he could remember (well, after they were enemies), and making bets between the two of them was a constant. Even around Patton and Logan, their two very close friends, Roman and Virgil would goof around; they'd make bets and put money down, or chores, or time, or whatever they had to offer. Rock paper scissors was the most popular one, especially when it came to the school lunches. But, Roman surely knew Virgil's limits. He knew that his place was the stage, and Virgil's place was...anywhere but _the stage. Under the covers. Far away from the stage, and the spotlight, and the this and that, and everything that had to do with a thousand eyes staring right at him. Roman knew Virgil's limits. He knew them. He--_

__

Virgil had since closed his eyes, but at a sudden realization, they flew open, wide as saucers. "Wait a second." 

__

"What?" asked Logan. "What is it?" 

__

Virgil sat up. "He knows my limits. That's exactly why he's making me do this." He started to stand. 

__

"Be..cause he means well?" 

__

"No, no he doesn't mean well. I may have offered the opportunity, but Roman's been planning this for a while. He _wants_ me to duck out." 

__

"I'm not following." 

__

Virgil threw his phone on the bed, Logan's muffled questions ignored. He finally put it all together. 

__

"He doesn't think I can do this. In fact, he knows I can't do this, so he's dragging me along to see how long it'll take me before I skip the auditions and make a fool of myself. He wants to prove how good of an actor he is and how much of a wuss I am for not being up to the challenge." Another epiphany clicked. "He probably bet someone on how long it would take. That's probably what's happening. Hm. Well, I'll show him. I'll show him plenty. And I'll do the play. I do it all the way through, and I'll do better than him. Way better! So much better!" 

__

He picked up his phone again and said, "Thanks for the help Logan, you're the best." 

__

Logan started to say, "I didn't do anythi--" 

__

Virgil hung up. 

__

"I'm gonna do this," he said. "I'll prove him wrong. I'll prove it." 

__

With that, he opened the link that Roman had sent him, and started searching up a monologue. 

__

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment on what you thought. What you liked, what you didn't, suggestions for the future?

**Author's Note:**

> Leave a comment!!!!!


End file.
